Be patient, UDA tells Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Chairman Johnson Muthama.
What you need to know:
- Leaders of Democratic Party (DP), Farmers' Party and Communist Party of Kenya have all complained that they are not being recognised in the ruling coalition
- They say appointments being made by President Ruto are only favouring UDA, ANC and Ford Kenya.
President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has asked the Kenya Kwanza Alliance (KKA) disgruntled affiliate parties to be patient saying that they have not been ignored.
The ruling party through its chairperson Johnson Muthama on Sunday said although the coalition had not met since the August General Election, that should not be construed that other parties are not valued.
Leaders of Democratic Party (DP), Farmers' Party and Communist Party of Kenya have all complained that they are not being recognised in the ruling coalition and appointments being made by President Ruto are only favouring UDA, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi's Amani National Congress (ANC) and Moses Wetang'ula of Ford Kenya.
Mr Muthama has assured the affiliate parties that nothing is lost saying that the coalition's meeting will be convened soon arguing that formation of government took too long.
“There were a lot of commitments that were taking place like the formation of the government. A meeting will be called soon to discuss the way forward because there are a lot of things to be looked into,” said Mr Muthama.
ANC national chairman Kelvin Lunani also echoed Mr Muthama’s sentiments asking their colleagues to be patient arguing that the moment formation of government is concluded, coalition’s structures will be next.
“Just last week the Parliament that is funded by taxpayers’ money had its post-election retreat, therefore, let the people be patient because the government's formation is still going on. Secondly, there is a technical team working on everything to do with the coalition,” said Mr Lunani.
Kenya Kwanza alliance now has 18 parties.
These are ANC, Ford-K, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), Attorney-General Justin Muturi’s Democratic Party, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri’s The Service Party, former Kiambu governor William Kabogo’s Tujibebe Wakenya, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap and Mandera Senator Ali Roba’s United Democratic Movement.
The others are the Communist Party of Kenya, Farmers Party, Devolution Party of Kenya, Economic Freedom Party, Umoja na Maendeleo, the National Agenda Party of Kenya, the Grand Dream Development Party, Ugenya MP David Ochieng’s Movement for Democracy and Growth and Chama Cha Mashinani of former Bomet governor Isaac Ruto.
At the same time, allies of President Ruto have defended his incessant meetings with Azimio MPs saying that it aimed at uniting the country for the sake of development but not destabilising the opposition.
Mr Muthama said the lawmakers have decided to work with the government for the sake of development because their constituents will hold them accountable come 2027 arguing that antagonising a sitting government locks many development projects.
“The MPs must look at why they were elected and now, the government is holding the key to development and that is Dr Ruto, there is no other government at the moment. Therefore, one would not want to stage a fight with the President because that would work against them,” said the UDA chairperson.
National Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya says that they are not destabilising Azimio arguing that those holding talks are looking for development while the President is also tabling his agenda to them hence a win-win situation.
Important consultations
“The President is not raiding Azimio MPs are seeking to meet the President as leader of government to discuss matters of national importance. These are important consultations to ensure equitable distribution of resources. The President has no intention of taking away Azimio leaders but the president as a good leader has to get a buy-in on his agenda from all leaders so that the country moves forward as one complete unit,” said Mr Baya.
National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro added: “It should be what the Azimio MPs are up to. The President has never called anybody to the State House. But his doors are open to all and sundry. Those willing will always go and pay him a visit. We already have numbers. House management has never been our challenge. We need each part of Kenya to be developed.”
